Favorite Photos From Past Posts

Sites along the way near my home

Forest Path back to the house

Patches, my big baby!

A hay field nearby

Copyright © 2012 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2012  Kathleen G. Lupole

Seasons Of Nature

Living surrounded by nature, makes you so aware of what is going on day to day. Whether it a soft breeze, a cold rain or sunshine, you are constantly aware of the weather. Reading a weather report in the newspaper or hearing it on a radio is not the same. Many times our weather is completely different from the predicted reports.  Sometimes not as bad, many times it is worse. We are in a snow belt across NY state, and often nobody in our area has snow, except for us. But sometimes, they are having a drought and we have rain!

I love looking at trees! They are not all alike, anymore, than all humans are alike. Each tree has special characteristics. I can sit and look at trees for hours. They give off an air of peacefulness and serenity. Not only do they change colors, but they change over the years in other ways. Their bark or their shape changes. Sometimes a critter will come along and chew on it, or rub on it, and change the surface of the bark forever. Our lives change pretty much the same way. Little things happen that affect our lives, scratching the surface, so it is never the same either.

At this time of the year, we are gearing up for the snow and cold that will be coming very soon. Then the trees will take on another whole different look. The state forest is beautiful in each season of the year. I can't choose one over the other. Sometimes the stillness of the winter just touches me so much, even though for us, the winter is tough with a lot of work. The change of the seasons always gives you something new to look forward to. 

Life has been busy this week for me, and that is what makes me appreciate the beauty of nature. The change of the seasons, and the affect of it on all that surrounds us. Even us!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2011  Kathleen G. Lupole

Logging In The Forest

View of our homestead from the forest

Living surrounded by the state forest sounds pretty nice to most people. Most of the time it is. But there are a few things about it that are not pleasant. One of them is that the Department Of Conservation sells wood to logging companies and private citizens for firewood. Not that I mind them doing that, nope, it is just the process of them getting the wood out and transporting it.

 Across the road from our house

Many of the trees in the state forest around us are now marked with blue or orange paint to designate trees being sold to various logging companies or individuals. We do not know exactly what the marks mean. Some of the trees are very small elm trees. Not much good for firewood or lumber. Maybe they are marked to warn them not to knock them over or damage them. I know it means that it will open up the forest a bit and will allow more sunlight in to hit our solar panels. It will also be good for the trees themselves to be thinned out a bit.

 

Trees wearing the mark of blue paint!

For the most part, our road is pretty quiet after labor day, until hunting season. Then after hunting season not much traffic at all during the winter. Our road is maintained rather well. But people just don't come out this way much during that time. If we get a lot of snow, we do get snowmobilers as our road is a snowmobile trail. If they start the logging process soon or right after hunting season, that will not be the case.

 Our little traveled dirt road

The logging trucks will come in early in the morning, like 6:00 AM, and I am not kidding about that! The men will be operating big heavy equipment that goes into the forest to take the trees down. We have even seen them use a machine that works like giant scissors that cuts the tree right off. So all those heavy logging trucks, heavy equipment trailers loaded with the equipment, not to mention the loggers themselves who drive back and forth several times daily...............a lot of traffic on our small dirt road.

 Sunlight streaming into the forest

The other thing that will take some getting used to will be the noise. They will be very noisy all day. We are not used to noise out here. It is very quiet and peaceful all day. Our horses are used to it being quiet, but they will adjust quicker than we will. They will probably enjoy having something to watch all day. My cats are used to going out in those woods, but I am sure they will be wary of the loggers, and not venture out as much. If it is colder though, they will be staying inside more anyway. So we'll see what happens. Maybe I'll get some good pictures of the logging process! 

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2011  Kathleen G. Lupole

Taking A Walk On Wordless Wednesday

 

 

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole

Our Neighborhood On Wordless Wednesday

 

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole

Sights On My Road To Town - Wordless Wednesday

 

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
 

Autumn Walk Remembered Wordless Wednesday

Copyright © 2011  Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2011  Kathleen G. Lupole

Forest Homestead In The Snow On Wordless Wednesday

Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole

Forest Homesteads

How many people live in the forest? Living in the forest is not like living anywhere else. Though I am sure living in the mountains is the same feeling. Living next to the ocean is the same, and I have lived near the ocean so I know that feeling too. I can't say I didn't love it. I did. I don't know about living in a desert. I really don't think I'd even want to try that. I love water, trees, rocks and plants. What could be better than that?

We have many different types of trees in the forest around us. Behind our home is a good size stand of spruce trees. They grew pretty close together. But they tend to get knocked over at times. Top heavy. You will see whole stands of pine trees knocked over in different areas around here. Our wind does get pretty strong here in NY at times.

Sometimes the trees have a some deformity such as this one. I like looking at the trunk as it is really deformed. I don't know why it grew like that but it catches my eye every time I pass it by. You will see various deformities on the trees every now and then. It could be the way they sometimes grow all crowded together. I don't know for sure.

Right now we have had many hunters out here. Our deer population had grown quite a bit over the past few years. One reason I think is that we haven't had that many hunters. I think this year is the most I have ever seen since we moved here. It could be because of the cost of food. A deer gives you a lot of meat!

Living in the forest gives me such peace of mind. I love it and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I hope that you can at least take a walk in the forest from time to time. Trees give you such a feeling of energy. I think that is why it good to hug a tree if you get the chance.

Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole

Sharing Photos On Wordless Wednesday

On The Way Home!

Hay Bales Got Rained On!

Hay Bales On The Field

Truck Trail Through The Woods To Peaceful Forest Homestead!

Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole